Note: Again sorry about the long wait. Some major medical issues in my family, however everything is better now. Hugs!

Chapter Twenty-one

Just trying to clear his mind for a while Neal wandered the streets aimlessly, quickly losing track of time. Failing miserably at not thinking about Kate Neal almost had himself convinced that it was too much of a coincidence that the Adler that had killed her and the one that had casually tormented Peter were the same person. However the longer he thought about it the more he realized that if anyone had the power to get away with murder it was the man getting away with slavery.

Adler would have the money and political pull to be basically untouchable. Neal hadn't been able to go to the authorities when it happened due to the bounty on his own head, but from what Mozzie had gathered through alternate sources the explosion in Kate's apartment that had taken her life had been bizarrely and very quickly ruled an 'accident' with very little investigation as if lethal gas leaks were a common occurrence. What Neal still couldn't understand is how Kate could have posed enough of a threat to Adler that he felt that killing her was necessary. Kate had acted like the box was somehow extraordinarily valuable but money alone couldn't be what kept Adler's attention, he had to be one of the richest men on the planet. There was also nothing to explain why Adler would play the melody for Peter as if it was supposed to mean something to the Animula's ear.

"What the hell is so special about that damn box?"

Muttering to himself didn't help much. He hated not having answers and with Kate's death he'd been left with nothing but questions. Peter's ties to Adler had only heaped on more confusion. The longer Neal thought about it the more he decided that the box itself didn't really matter, Adler was the important factor. If they were going to take on a monster like the Market they had to go for the throat and all signs pointed towards Adler being at the head of the beast.

Neal pulled out his phone to see what time it was and was surprised to find that it was nearly eleven. He had told Peter he might be out past midnight but he still thought about calling to make sure everything was okay. Dialing the number to the burner phone he'd given Peter Neal hesitated to press send. The last thing he wanted was Peter feeling like he didn't trust him. Not wanting to be too over bearing Neal pocketed the phone trusting Peter to call him if he needed anything.

"How much trouble could he possibly get into?" Neal said in an attempt to reassure himself.

Neal still couldn't shake his uneasy feeling and decided the best cure for it was to just go home. As much as he knew Peter didn't want to make him a prisoner in his own home there was no denying that for at least right now there were serious risks every time he was left alone. Looking around to get his bearings Neal realized that he had strayed further from the apartment than he usually did when he went on 'walk about'.

With several options for paths home Neal thought that he had picked one at random but found after a few blocks nothing about his route tonight had been entirely random. Walking up to the imposing looking set of white marble stairs Neal paused and looked up at the dizzying height of the gold gilded Market sky scrapper. Neal had walked past it countless times but he'd never really bothered to stop and look at it. From a purely architectural stand point it was a masterpiece, a beautiful facade with a dark heart.

"Go home, Neal." Neal ordered himself as he stepped up to the bottom of the white stairs. "Now's not the time to fire the first shot."

Completely ignoring his own advice Neal went up the stairs and through the large glass and gold revolving doors at the top. The main lobby was an odd mixture of minimalism and a lush variety of very carefully maintained live plants set in raised beds made of white marble with gold accents along with a twenty foot tall water feature running down the wall on the left side. The mix of sterile white and verdant green was a little jarring even though Neal was certain that they had been going for 'serene'. Slipping his hands into his pockets Neal wondered if Peter had ever seen this main entrance or if he'd always come and gone through some less ostentatious entrance in the back.

The front way forced any visitors to walk nearly a hundred yards through the indoor garden before reaching a large front desk made of contrasting onyx. It was late at night but there was a man in a well cut suit sitting at the desk. He had been busy reading something on his phone and despite the ample warning of Neal's foot steps against the hard marble floor he was still surprised when Neal appeared in front of his desk. Taking one look at the disapproving expression on Neal's face the receptionist quickly put his phone away and flashed Neal a very practiced smile. Neal was glad to already have the upper hand over the gatekeeper since he really didn't have a strategy as to how he was going to get past the front desk or even what he hoped to accomplish if he did so.

"Can I help you, Sir?"

"I just got out maneuvered by a competitor with one of your Animula. I am not interested in letting that happen again. I want to talk to someone right now about how all of this works."

"It is past business hours, if you'd like I could have a rep…"

"For the kind of money I'll be spending with your company I expect twenty-four hour service." Neal demanded.

"If you owned an Animula I assure you we wo…"

"Do you have any idea who I am?" Neal interrupted again with an icy edge.

"I'm afraid I don't, Sir."

"Then go and find me someone who does!" Neal growled menacingly.

The receptionist hesitated for a moment, Neal guessed that he was trying to decide if he should call someone in charge or just call security. Neal wondered if journalist every tried to get closer to the truth by posing as buyers or if they knew it would be career suicide to take on an organization arguably more powerful than the elected government. The receptionist looked Neal over and made a decision based purely on appearances that he was better off treating Neal as a serious potential buyer rather than a threat and called someone upstairs to explain the situation.

"Mr. Collins is working late, he's one of our customer liaisons. Someone will be down shortly to escort you up."

Keeping the social upper hand Neal didn't thank the receptionist knowing that anyone willing to buy an Animula probably treated anyone that wasn't as rich as they were as subordinates no matter what the situation. Looking annoyed at the inconvenience of waiting Neal stalked over to one of the near by ivy displays and pretended to be interested in the plants. With his heart racing Neal still wasn't sure what he was trying to do or prove here.

Neal was seriously considering just leaving when the elevator door back behind the desk and to the right in a large alcove chimed as it arrived. A thin framed man about Neal's age in a dark suit with a matching dark gray silk tie stepped out hesitantly with one hand raised up very slightly in front of himself as if he feared someone running into him. The man walked directly up to the onyx desk where the receptionist made an exaggerated hand gesture to redirect his focus to where Neal was standing by the plants.

It wasn't until the man approached him that Neal saw the slight scaring across his face and a hazy cast to his blue eyes that were also tinted by streaks of gold. Neal wasn't sure why he was so surprised to be greeted by an Animula but he stood frozen as the Animula offered him a deep bow. Even with a clear sight deficit the Animula kept his eyes down cast. Neal suddenly felt very guilty as he noticed the somewhat disheveled nature of the Animula's hair and his hastily done tie, it gave Neal the impression that he had been woken out of bed to perform this task.

"Please follow me, Master."

"Lead the way."

Bowing again the Animula turned around and took a moment to get his bearing before heading towards the elevators. Neal's guide appeared to still be able to see shapes but the white elevator door on the white wall with a white floor didn't leave him with much to go by. Using the dark desk as landmark he carefully made his way back to the elevator using his hand to keep himself from knocking into the marble wall and then to feel out the elevator button. Once inside the elevator Neal made note that there were no buttons just a glass pad that the Animula pressed his hand against. The elevator automatically selected a floor and started going up. Standing as far from Neal as the elevator space would allow the meek Animula stared sightlessly at the floor. Neal knew that even if the Animula's vision had been perfect he'd still have the unfocused look in his eyes right now. Neal smiled warmly at the Animula to try and put him at ease even though he doubted he could see the gesture.

"What's your name?"

"Adam, Master."

"What happened to your sight, Adam?" Neal asked gently.

Adam became visibly uncomfortable with the question. His cloudy eyes tracked back and forth quickly as he tried to figure out how best to answer. Neal got the distinct feeling that no human had ever bothered to ask him about his obvious disability before. The scaring across his face suggested that he hadn't been born blind, but rather that he had been in an accident or more likely attacked by an enraged Master.

"I…I…" Adam stuttered fearfully.

"I'm sorry, Adam, it's okay. You don't have to answer me."

Rather than looking relieved Adam sighed heavily as he reached up and pressed his hand against the glass pad once again. The elevator quickly slowed to a stop before starting to descend once again. Neal furrowed his brow and looked to Adam for an explanation but the Animula simply cowered from him slightly as if fearing being struck.

"Adam?" Neal asked concerned.

"My apologies, Master, I must take you back down stairs."

"Why?"

"I'm sorry, Master, you have already failed."

"Failed?"

"The Market will not sell to you."